DMK leader R S Bharathi held for alleged remarks against SC

DMK's Rajya Sabha MP R S Bharathi was arrested on Saturday for his alleged disparaging remarks made against the Scheduled Caste community a few months ago, police said.

The 73 year-old DMK Organisation Secretary, who was picked up from his residence this morning, was later granted interim bail till June 1 by a city court after it was informed that the Madras High Court was already seized of a surrender application filed by him which is coming up for hearing on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, another DMK leader, Lok Sabha MP and former Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran, moved an anticipatory bail petition in the Madras High Court, as police complaints have been filed against him for allegedly making derogatory remarks against SC community members.

Earlier, Bharathi alleged that he was being targeted for trying to expose instances of corruption in the AIADMK-led government.

He was arrested for allegedly making the comments against the SC community, with a case being filed against him recently under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act based on a complaint.

Bharathi said his remarks made at a DMK meeting in February had been "twisted" and said it was not reported in any newspaper while "some in the social media carried out a campaign against me."